UH plans forensics program

The certificate is to be offered jointly in 2006 at the Leeward and West Oahu campuses

The University of Hawaii at West Oahu and Leeward Community College will offer a joint certificate program in forensic anthropology next year, university officials have announced.

The new program in forensic anthropology is expected to be available in the spring and is intended to satisfy growing demand. Interest in forensic science as a career has been growing since the hit television series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," university officials said in a news release.

UH regents approved the new certificate program Thursday, one of several actions taken by the board at their meeting on Maui.

The new offering, the first forensic anthropology undergraduate program in Hawaii, consists of 12 credits at LCC in anthropology and biology, and 18 credits at UH-West Oahu in anthropology, social sciences and justice administration.

UH-West Oahu has offered a course in forensic anthropology for six years, taught by Thomas Holland, scientific director of the Central Identification Laboratory at Hickam Air Force Base.

"In addition to excellent general education courses, LCC also brings expertise in anthropology to the table for this effort," said Leeward Community College Chancellor Peter Quigley.

Jobs for those trained in forensics include criminalist, crime scene investigator, forensic fingerprint examiner and archaeologist.

In other regents actions this week, the board:

» Approved the establishment of the Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals at the Department of American Studies, College of Arts & Humanities, and the William S. Richardson School of Law. The new endowment at the University of Hawaii Foundation has collected $2.3 million.

The money will be used to bring distinguished public figures to the university who will offer courses and seminars. The chair is named for U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye and his wife, Maggie.

» Authorized a program with the Board of Water Supply to use cool sea water pumped from deep wells to help run the air-conditioning system at the newly opened John A. Burns School of Medicine in Kakaako. The project is expected to reduce the university's use of electricity and save on operating costs.

» Allowed the administration to enter into construction contracts for the replacement of the cooling tower system and chilled water plant equipment at several buildings on the Manoa campus, the completion of the electrical distribution system upgrade for the Manoa campus, and renovations of the theater and library at UH-Hilo.